This invention relates to a sun and wind partition for open motor vehicles, particularly convertibles, comprising a screen swivellably mounted in an area above an occupants' head on parts fixed to the vehicle.
Such a wind and sun partition is known from German Patent Document DE-PS 657 568. There, a pane which can be swivelled about an axis was mounted in the area of the rear passengers on guide rods laterally mounted on the roof frame, which pane, during a drive with an open sliding roof, is to protect the rear passengers from unpleasant airstream influences and from sun radiation.
From German Patent Document DE-OS 32 35 148, it is also known to assign wind deflectors in the case of vehicles with a convertible top to the padded roof cross member arrangement extending transversely above the windshield to a rollover bar provided in the center of the vehicle or to the headrests of the vehicle seats in such a manner that, from an inoperative position in which they are adapted approximately to the contour of these supporting parts, the wind deflectors can be folded up into the operative position. In this case, the wind deflectors are such that, when they are provided on the headrests, they can be adjusted approximately vertically upward or, when they are provided on the rollover bar or on the roof cross member, they can be adjusted slightly toward the rear against the driving direction so that they can exercise their wind deflection function. Such wind partitions arranged on the roof cross member provided above the windshield, in their operative position, may also cause a certain sun deflection for the driver and the front seat passenger if the sun radiation takes place from the front. However, such constructions are not suitable for preventing, in the case of a convertible, a sun radiation onto the driver's or front seat passenger's head or also the heads of rear occupants if the sun radiation takes place essentially vertically from above or even from the rear.
It is an object of the invention to provide a sun protection for the occupants of convertibles which is effective irrespectively of the type of sun radiation and which makes it possible for the vehicle occupants to drive without wearing any headgear.
For achieving this object, it is provided in the case of a sun and wind partition of the initially mentioned type that the screen is arranged such on a headrest assigned to the vehicle seat that it can be swivelled in the driving direction toward the front beyond the upper edge of the headrest into an approximately horizontal position above the occupant's head. By means of this development, a sun screen can be folded over the occupant's head in the manner of a protective roof. In this case, it can protect against sun radiation as well as against wind, particularly if it is provided with a correspondingly curved contour or is slightly inclined toward the front.
As a further development of the invention, the upper edge of the headrest can be moved upward so that it projects beyond the occupant's head. The screen may then in a simple manner be pivotally connected in the upper area of the headrest and, since the vertical adjustment takes place by means of the headrest, no special mechanism must be provided in order to move the screen high enough when it is in the operative position.
In a further development of the invention, the screen may be mounted on a swivel hinge arranged on both sides in the rear area of the headrest, detent devices for holding the screen in two end positions being assigned to this swivel hinge, in which case one end position is the operating position in the horizontal position above the occupant's head and the other end position is an inoperative position extending in parallel to the back side of the seat.
As a further development of the invention, the screen may project beyond the headrest with lateral projections for shading the shoulder area. The screen may finally consist of a transparent but tinted material which keeps away harmful sun radiation.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.